When we’re building our life from “I’m not okay yet”… we accidentally recreate the same prison.

This episode is a walking heart-practice reflection from Hampstead Heath about slowing down, telling the truth about what’s here, and learning to live from the heart instead of the hustle.

It begins with big plans for a “connection day”… and turns into the simplest medicine: eye contact, honesty, and a nap.

Big thank you to Ivey my partner in rhyme. https://www.instagram.com/itsmeivey

💡 In This Episode, We Explore

• The “Future Fix” Trap — How planning a better future can be a subtle way of avoiding what’s true right now, and why building from “not okay” tends to extend “not okay.”

• Heart Practices & Nervous System Shifts — A simple relational practice that interrupts the rush, brings you back into your body, and shifts you from fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest.

• Truth as the Doorway to Presence — Why asking “What’s true right now?” dissolves performance and creates real connection with yourself and others.

• Comfort with Discomfort — How the need for certainty keeps pain chasing you, and how becoming “1% more okay” with fear changes everything.

• Bottom-Up Mission vs Top-Down Life Plan — Why your mission might not be something you decide, but something that emerges when you live your truth daily.

🕰️ Timestamps

00:00 Building a future from “I’m not okay”
00:27 Big plans… noticing disconnection
02:12 Heart practice: “be all of me with you”
03:36 The nap that changed the whole day
06:25 The magic you miss when you rush
07:05 Freestyle rap with a busker (because why not)
16:17 “Truth is the doorway to presence”
17:03 Core insight: build from ease, not fear
18:02 Certainty vs allowing discomfort
20:03 Today-truth vs multi-stage life plans
21:06 “My being is love” (not my doing)
22:19 The “safe” path vs the unknown path
24:22 Liminal space + capacity = new life emerging
27:36 Becoming comfortable not knowing

✍️ Quotes from the Episode

• “When we build our lives from a place of feeling trapped… we keep creating lives that feel the same way.”
• “We were planning connection… while not connecting.”
• “All it took was a heart practice and a nap.”
• “You miss life when you’re aiming for a destination.”
• “The doorway to being present is truth.”
• “If you can allow discomfort now, your life doesn’t have to be built around avoiding it.”
• “What if the mission is to live my truth every day?”
• “Bottom up, not top down — let your mission be shown through you being you.”

👤 About Dmitro Khroma

I’m an engineer, founder, facilitator, and creative exploring how to build a resilient, whole life.

After scaling a hardware company to ~£15M in revenue and burning out, I now support hardware founders as a fractional CTO, help founders lead sustainably through Build Without Burnout, and facilitate men’s work, coaching, and creative expression through freestyle rap and embodied practices.

This podcast shares my real-time journey of building a life and leadership rooted in truth, creativity, and emotional intelligence.

Because the real startup is you.

Connect here: https://linktr.ee/khromazone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khromazone
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkhroma/

🪞 If You Resonated With This Episode

Have you been living from “future-fix” energy — trying to plan your way into safety? Drop a comment with the line that landed most.

🎧 Support the Show

Subscribe, share, and let the channel grow naturally. Every episode is a mirror — for my process and yours.

#DimiDivesDeep #SelfLeadership #NervousSystem #Presence #Authenticity #InnerWork #Embodiment #CreatorJourney

Leaving London felt like a mistake.

Everything here was working.

My routines. My friends. My park. My home.

So why would I leave a life that already feels good… for one that doesn’t exist yet?

This episode is a raw reflection from my final week in London before moving to Canada with my partner, ivey — and what it means to step away from certainty, identity, and comfort… into a life that hasn’t fully taken shape.

💡 In This Episode, I Explore

Comfort, Routine & Local Maxima
How building a life that “works” can quietly become a trap; why routine makes change harder; and how outgrowing your current environment can feel like grief, not excitement.

Fear, Control & Packing Everything
Why anxiety often disguises itself as productivity; how planning and organising become safety strategies; and what it looks like to loosen control when your future is unclear.

Leaving a Goal-Oriented Identity
The disorientation of stepping away from a lifetime of targets and direction; why sitting in uncertainty is harder than chasing the next milestone; and how fear-based certainty can quietly shape your career choices.

Influence, Alignment & Partnership
The tension between following your own path… and being shaped by the people you love; questioning whether coaching and facilitation are truly my calling — or a reflection of ivey’s.

Burning the Boats
Why renting out my London home was more than a logistical decision; the role of commitment in real change; and how removing the “easy way back” forces deeper investment in the next chapter.

Grief & Switching Costs
The emotional and energetic cost of changing locations; what it takes to rebuild routines, friendships, and momentum from scratch; and why growth often requires a temporary step backwards.

Two Homes, One Life
The dream of building a life across London and Canada; the reality that everything moves slower when you live between worlds; and the challenge of fully committing to where you are.

Diving In Fully
Why the most tempting path is to stay half-invested; how resistance can sabotage new beginnings; and what success might look like one year from now.

🕰️ Timestamps

00:00 A sign for ivey: “Your heart is home”
01:00 Leaving London for Canada
02:00 Packing as anxiety management
03:00 Living without career clarity
04:00 Coaching & facilitation as next steps
05:30 Am I following my own path?
06:30 Grieving routines & community
07:30 Burning the boats
08:30 Local maxima & growth
09:30 The switching cost of change
10:30 Building two home bases
11:30 The temptation to stay half-invested
12:30 Diving in head first

✍️ Quotes from the Episode

“I don’t know what to expect — when I’m scared, it’s the worst thing in the world.”
“I’ve spent a whole life orienting around goals and direction.”
“In the absence of planning… everything might still be okay.”
“My heart doesn’t understand why we’re leaving.”
“Everything here is everything you want — why change it?”
“Sometimes growth requires taking things away first.”
“Burning the boats is the only way I know how to commit.”
“The best outcome is diving in fully.”

👤 About Dmitro Khroma

I’m an engineer, entrepreneur, and facilitator.
I co-founded and scaled an e-bike company to ~£15M in annual revenue — and burned out in the process.

Now, through Dimi Dives Deep, I’m exploring how to build a life and career rooted in creativity, community, and emotional resilience… without losing myself in the process.

Because I believe the real startup is you.

Connect here: https://linktr.ee/khromazone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khromazone
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkhroma/

🪞 If You Resonated With This Episode

Have you ever left a life that “worked”… for one that might fit you better?

Drop a comment and tell me what landed most.

🎧 Support the Show

Subscribe, share, and let this channel grow naturally.
Every episode is a mirror — for my process and yours.

I thought being a “good man” meant being kind, agreeable, and easy to love. But what if being nice is actually just lying to keep the peace?

This episode is a raw reflection from the Unmasked Man retreat on people-pleasing, emotional safety, and what it takes to stop abandoning yourself in the name of connection.

💡 IN THIS EPISODE, I EXPLORE

Nice Guy Patterns & Self-Abandonment — How tiny everyday untruths slowly disconnect us from who we are; why prioritising other people’s emotional safety can cost us our own; and how people-pleasing becomes a survival strategy.

Fear-Based Living & Emotional Safety — Why feeling unsafe doesn’t always reflect reality; how acting from fear perpetuates disconnection; and what changes when you begin to relate from love instead of control.

The Magician Mind — How my strongest strength — the analytical, creative mind that built businesses — can also become my greatest saboteur; why control can shut down connection; and how safety strategies become prisons.

Boundaries, Truth & Loving Delivery — The difference between brutal honesty and loving truth; why speaking truth without care can harm; and how timing, sensitivity, and intention transform honesty into connection.

Integration Over Elimination — Why trying to “banish” parts of yourself creates more shadow; how learning to thank and integrate protective parts builds inner safety; and what it means to take back responsibility for your own wellbeing.

Holding Space for Others — The shift from expressing myself through poetry, dance, and rap… to facilitating expression in others; why supporting someone else to find their voice feels deeply meaningful; and how this points toward coaching, fatherhood, and leadership.

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 From Nice Guy to Honest King
01:10 Why I came to the Unmasked Man retreat
02:40 People-pleasing & tiny untruths
05:00 Self-abandonment in relationships
07:00 Leaving my business & entering a new chapter
09:00 Emotional progress since last year
11:20 Meeting my Magician Mind
13:30 Acting from fear vs acting from love
15:00 The cost of not setting boundaries
16:40 Speaking truth for the first time
18:00 Integration vs banishing parts
20:00 Taking back responsibility for safety
22:30 Considering facilitator training
24:00 Vision of fatherhood & holding space
26:30 From knowing… to integrating
28:00 Grieving disconnection in love
29:30 Supporting others to express themselves

✍️ QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE

“Nice guys don’t speak truth — they trade it for safety.”
“Tiny lies add up to a life that isn’t yours.”
“My greatest strength is also my greatest enemy.”
“Fear-based living perpetuates itself.”
“You can’t banish a part of you without creating a shadow.”
“I don’t need my fear to run the show anymore.”
“If I can’t love myself, I can’t love someone else.”
“The journey is from lies… to truth… to loving truth.”
“Holding space for others might be my next chapter.”

👤 ABOUT DMITRO KHROMA

I’m an engineer, entrepreneur, and poet. I co-founded and scaled a hardware e-commerce company to ~£15M in annual revenue — and burned out in the process.

Now, through Dimi Dives Deep, I explore what it means to build a life, career, and creative practice rooted in emotional intelligence, creativity, and self-leadership. Because I believe the real startup is you.

Connect here: https://linktr.ee/khromazone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khromazone
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkhroma/

🪞 IF YOU RESONATED WITH THIS EPISODE

This one’s for the men who learned to be liked before they learned to be honest. Drop a comment and tell me what landed most.

🎧 SUPPORT THE SHOW

Subscribe, share, and let this channel grow naturally. Every episode is a mirror — for my process and yours.

#DimiDivesDeep #MensWork #SelfLeadership #EmotionalGrowth #Boundaries #Authenticity #InnerWork #FounderJourney #PersonalDevelopment #ShadowWork

I spent the last 10 years obsessively setting goals. SMART goals. Life plans. Weekly targets. Five-year visions. Spreadsheets, systems, and control — all in the name of progress.

But what I’ve learned isn’t really about goal setting at all. It’s about identity, control, burnout — and what happens when you stop treating your life like a project plan.

This episode is a deep dive into how my goals evolved as I evolved — and what I now believe actually matters.

Let’s dive in.

—

CONNECT WITH ME
🌐 https://linktr.ee/khromazone
📸 https://instagram.com/khromazone
💼 https://linkedin.com/in/dkhroma

—

💡 IN THIS EPISODE, I EXPLORE

• From SMART Goals to Values
Why most of my early goals failed — but still mattered. How direction outlasts checklists. Why values scale better than targets.

• Control, Safety & Burnout
How optimization gave me security and slowly became a cage. Why burnout is data, not failure. What happens when control replaces listening.

• Identity-Based Change
Why “I am” works better than “one day I will.” How becoming the person first removes friction. Why discipline alone never stuck.

• Direction Over Destination
Why life can’t be predicted — only met. How leaving space for the unimaginable made my life more surprising. Why openness increases the surface area of opportunity.

• Trust, Uncertainty & Living Fully
Why fear doesn’t stop bad things from happening — it stops you from living. How uncertainty can be terrifying or liberating. Why that part is a choice.

—

🕰️ Timestamps

00:00 Starting with a blank slate (again)
01:10 Who I am & why this reflection matters
02:30 The early years: SMART goals & skill chasing
05:30 The meditation goal that took 9 years
07:40 Start-ups, ambition & control
10:30 The illusion of control
12:40 Alternative lives I still want to live
14:40 When goals became intense — and exhausting
16:40 Burnout as feedback
18:30 From goals to values
20:00 Identity-based change
21:30 Leaving space for the unimaginable
23:00 Direction over destination

—

✍️ Quotes from the Episode

“I didn’t fail my goals — I just wasn’t ready to live them yet.”
“Control gave me security, but it also trapped me.”
“Burnout wasn’t the problem. It was the message.”
“I got tired of treating my life like a project plan.”
“My mind isn’t scared of the unknown — it’s scared of the stories it puts there.”
“Goals are less about where you arrive and more about the direction you travel.”
“The less I tried to control my future, the more beautiful it became.”
“Fear doesn’t stop you from dying. Fear stops you from living.”

—

👤 About Dmitro Khroma

I’m an engineer, entrepreneur, and poet. I co-founded and scaled a hardware e-commerce company to ~£15M in annual revenue — and burned out in the process. Now, through Dimi Dives Deep, I explore what it means to build a life, career, and creative practice from authenticity, emotional intelligence, and values — not just achievement. Because I believe the real startup is you.

—

🪞 If You Resonated With This Episode

This one’s for founders, makers, and creatives who are tired of optimizing their lives and ready to start living them.

Drop a comment and tell me what landed most.

—

🎧 Support the Show
Subscribe, share, and let this channel grow naturally.
Every episode is a mirror — for my process and yours.

#DimiDivesDeep #GoalSetting #BurnoutRecovery #FounderJourney #Authenticity #Identity #Values #PersonalGrowth #CreativeProcess #Alignment

I spent a day with @aliabdaal, his talented team, and a room full of ambitious creators — exploring how to grow online, make money, and build audiences.

But what I personally took away wasn’t about algorithms or funnels. It was about safety, identity, and what happens when you stop building from fear and start building from your authentic truth.

After years scaling a multimillion-pound startup and burning out in the process, this day reminded me how easy it is for me to lose myself while chasing success — and how powerful it is to start again.

Let’s dive in.

.
.

Connect with me:
🌐 https://linktr.ee/khromazone
📸 https://www.instagram.com/khromazone
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkhroma/

.
.

💡 In This Episode, I Explore

Soft Lessons Learned — why my nervous system, not my calendar, decides when I can show up; how the “fuck your feelings” mindset both helped and challenged me; and why healthy discomfort is a form of growth.

Purpose and Alignment — how I stopped waiting for the perfect vision and learned to let “good enough for now” guide me; how service to others became my compass; and why multiple missions can coexist.

The Offer (Transformation over Vehicle) — how I discovered my real offer: helping founders scale to seven figures without burning out or losing themselves; and why starting one-to-one first creates depth before scale.

Magnetic Marketing (YouTube Intros with Ali) — what it felt like to sit across from Ali workshopping my intro, why it was harder than expected, and how I’m learning to speak who I am without shame.

Expression Over Optimization — the moment I realized I don’t want to be an algorithmic version of myself, and how I’m choosing authenticity over performance — even if it’s unscalable.

.
.

🕰️ Timestamps
00:00 Burnout, masks, and the longing to just be me
01:00 Inside Ali Abdaal’s mastermind – the real lessons
03:00 The safety gap: why skills aren’t enough
05:30 “Fuck your feelings” vs. nervous system wisdom
07:00 Good-enough visions and needs before ideals
09:00 Transformation over vehicles – the art of selling outcomes
11:30 Starting with high-touch coaching
13:00 Identity, intros, and the courage to be seen
15:00 YouTube as expression vs. marketing funnel
17:00 Achievement vs. alignment – building from truth

.
.

👤 About Dmitro Khroma
I’m an engineer, entrepreneur, and poet. I co-founded and scaled a hardware e-commerce company to £15M in annual revenue — and then burned out.

Now I help founders and creators grow their businesses without losing touch with themselves.

Through Dimi Dives Deep, I explore how to build from authenticity, emotional intelligence, and creative truth — because I believe the real startup is you.

.
.

🪞 If You Resonated With This Episode
This one’s for anyone tired of performing their success story — for founders, makers, and creatives learning to build from alignment, not achievement.

Drop a comment and tell me what landed most.

.
.

🎧 Support the Show
Subscribe, share, and help this channel grow naturally.

Every episode is a mirror for the creative process — yours and mine.

.
.

#DimiDivesDeep #AliAbdaal #Entrepreneurship #CreativeProcess #FounderJourney #BurnoutRecovery #Authenticity #Coaching #Alignment #Purpose #CreatorEconomy

What if you could build a multi-million-pound company and stay creatively alive?

Guy Horne did both — and his journey redefines what real success looks like.

Dimi Dives Deep

Connect with Dimi:

🌐 Connect: https://linktr.ee/khromazone

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khromazone

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkhroma/

I dive deep with Guy Horne — an impact entrepreneur and self-taught musician whose life sits beautifully between purpose and art. Guy is the co-founder of a business that’s helped over 10,000 people find homes across the UK — but behind that success lies a deeper story: one of perfectionism, surrender, and rediscovering creativity as medicine.

We explore what it takes to build a multi-million-pound impact company without losing touch with your soul. We talk about leadership and letting go, creative flow versus control, and how music became Guy’s way to reconnect to his essence after years in the headwinds of business growth.This isn’t just a conversation about business or music — it’s about the art of living fully: how to make something meaningful, stay open, and create from a place of heart rather than fear.

💡 In This Conversation, We Explore:

• Perfectionism vs. Flow: Why creatives get stuck trying to make something “worthy” of release.

• Leadership Through Surrender: How Guy learned to lead by stepping back, not pushing forward.

• “Life Chess” Philosophy: Reverse-engineering success with clarity, intention, and boldness.

• The Four Burners Theory: Why focus requires sacrifice, and how to find your rhythm again.

• Surrounding Yourself with the Right People: how proximity to inspired, aligned humans changes everything.

• Music as Alchemy: Turning heartbreak into healing — and why art sets us free.

• Impact with Integrity: Building homes and communities that restore human dignity.

Through it all, Guy shows that purpose and play don’t have to be at odds. When we build and create from truth — the work becomes its own reward.

🎵 Live Performances in this Episode

1. 00:00 — Unreleased Intro Track – A grounding, meditative opening.

2. 36:00 — “I Won’t Be Waiting” (Live) – A song born from heartbreak, now an anthem for letting go.

3. 01:01:00 — Unreleased Final Track – A closing reflection on presence, gratitude, and flow.

🕰️ Timestamps

00:00 🎵 Unreleased Intro Track — finding presence through sound

00:52 The perfectionism trap and creative resistance

04:00 Building a business that heals homelessness

12:00 The illusion of “making it” and redefining success

19:00 Partnerships, ego, and holding opinions lightly

28:00 Leadership through delegation and trust

30:00 Music, youth camps, and rediscovering play

36:00 🎵 “I Won’t Be Waiting” (Live) — heartbreak alchemy

44:00 “Life Chess” and intentional creation

54:00 The Four Burners Theory: focus, simplicity, balance

59:00 Presence, mantra, and connecting to the why

01:01:00 🎵 Final Song — closing gratitude and flow

👤 About Guy Horne

Guy Horne is the Co-Founder of HSPG, one of the UK’s leading impact investment groups focused on affordable housing and homelessness prevention. Over the past decade, he’s helped create 10,000+ homes — while also building a parallel path as a songwriter and performer. His music has reached over a million streams, with deeply human songs that explore love, loss, and awakening.

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/09pLkae728Yr6bLkqQ17CY

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyguyhorne

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-horne-b6646722/

🪞 If You Resonated With This ConversationThis episode is for anyone walking the line between ambition and authenticity.If you’ve ever struggled to slow down, to release your work, or to trust your own rhythm — I think you’ll find something of yourself here.Leave a comment sharing what landed most!

🎧 Support the ShowSubscribe, share, and follow to help this channel grow organically.

Linktree Connect Here: https://linktr.ee/khromazone

---

It’s been one month since I left the company I co-founded after 8 years. Instead of “retiring” for a while, I found myself rushing straight back into building the next thing—overwhelmed, excited, exhausted.

This episode is me reflecting on the sparkles, the struggles, and the lessons from my first month of “funemployment.”

---

💡 Themes I explore:

“Walkway, not runway.” Slowing down the pace of creation.

“Alignment over achievement.” Building from joy instead of fear.

“New software, old hardware.” How old habits sneak into new projects.

“Comfortable being overwhelmed.” Why chaos feels safer than rest.

“Microdosing enoughness.” Practicing small moments of safety and presence.

“I don’t need to take time off. I get to.” Redefining work and play.

---

I share what I’m learning through coaching, journaling, and experimenting with video as a new practice. This isn’t a neat, polished success story—it’s a real-time reflection on unlearning scarcity, reshaping creativity, and trying to build a nourishing life I don’t want to escape from.

If you’re also navigating transition, burnout, or the tension between sparkle and overwhelm, I hope this speaks to you.

---

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Initial Thoughts

00:12 Reflecting on Leaving Swytch

01:04 Discovering New Passions

01:37 Challenges of Content Creation

03:09 Overcoming Old Habits

04:04 Balancing Life and Work

06:40 Coaching and Self-Discovery

07:51 Building a Nourishing Life

13:17 Daily Reflections and Future Plans

Connect here: ⁠https://linktr.ee/khromazone⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/khromazone⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkhroma/

---Healing Through Dance: My Journey of Self-ExpressionIn this episode, I share my transformative journey with dance, from structured ballroom classes in my youth to discovering the deeply healing practice of ecstatic dance as an adult. I reflect on how dance allowed me to connect with my emotions, express suppressed feelings, and ultimately, find freedom from mental constraints. I take you through significant experiences, including a profound retreat and the integration of various well-being practices, illustrating how dance has become a vehicle for healing and self-discovery in my life. Join me on a candid exploration of how movement can bridge the gap between mind and body, leading to a more vibrant, connected existence.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: The Power of Dance00:41 Early Dance Experiences01:23 Discovering Ecstatic Dance02:30 The Ecstatic Dance Experience04:23 Healing Through Dance09:21 Integrating Dance and Daily Life16:22 Peak Dance Experiences23:59 Conclusion: Embracing the Full Human Experience

Connect here: https://linktr.ee/khromazone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khromazone

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkhroma/

---In this episode, I share my personal journey of recovering from severe burnout and provide my top tips for managing stress, building resilience, and preventing burnout. From recognizing the signs of burnout to adopting effective stress management techniques such as breathwork, journaling, and lifestyle changes, I cover everything you need to know to take ownership over your mental and emotional well-being. Learn about the importance of a solid morning and evening routine, the role of self-compassion and gratitude, and how to build a sustainable approach to wellness. Whether you're dealing with chronic stress or just looking for ways to improve your overall resilience, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice.00:00 Introduction to Stress Management00:10 Personal Burnout Story01:18 Understanding Stress02:55 Immediate Stress Relief Techniques03:17 Long-term Stress Management Strategies05:45 Recognizing Burnout Warning Signs07:25 Morning Routine for Resilience09:17 Evening Wind Down Routine11:04 The Importance of Rest12:05 Cultivating Self-Compassion14:26 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect here: https://linktr.ee/khromazoneInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/khromazoneLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkhroma/---From Burnout to Creative Flow: My Journey of Self-DiscoveryIn my debut podcast, I take listeners on a deeply personal journey from burnout and depression to creative expression and spiritual well-being, culminating in the recording of this podcast on my 30th birthday (March 1, 2025). I share stories of overcoming mental health challenges, discovering creative outlets like poetry and ecstatic dance, and embracing personal growth through various retreats and resilience practices. Reflecting on my transformation, I speak about the obstacles I've faced and the profound lessons I've learned along the way. This episode is an inspiring narrative filled with insights on stress management, authenticity, and the power of creative expression.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction: From Burnout to Creative Expression01:00 Starting the Podcast Journey01:51 The Role of Social Media in Creative Flow03:12 Navigating Creative Blocks and Burnout07:48 The Impact of Personal Relationships10:56 The Power of Sharing and Expression18:55 Reflecting on Burnout and Wellbeing26:40 Discovering New Paths to Wellbeing34:59 Embracing Men's Work and Vulnerability39:15 Conclusion: The Importance of Authenticity